Panel cut-out block



New; 27, 1923.

G. B. THOMAS PANEL CUT-OUT BLOCK Filed Nov. 29. 1921 INVENTDR GEOfiGE B. THom/VS ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE B. THOMAS, F BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT ELEC- TRIO COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

PANEL CUT-OUT BLOCK.

Application filed November 29, 1921. Serial No. 518,619.

To all whom it may 0071067 72..

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. THOMAS, a citizen of the United. States of America, residing at Bridgeport, in the county of 6 l airfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Panel Cut-Out Blocks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to panel cut-out blocks, and to certain features of improvement in both the body and in the protective cover therefor. The object of my invention is-first, to provide the cover plate with means for indicating the branch circuit connections at opposite ends of each block of the panel; second, to adapt the block for the reception of either wire or bus-bar mains; third, to modify the branch terminals for the same purpose; fourth, to accommo- (late branch meter-testing leads or the like.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a plan of an installation in which my invention is shown;

Fig. 2 is a broken end elevation thereof; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the blocks partially in section on the line 33, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section through a cover on the line 4-4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan of the block with the cover removed; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective of one of the branch terminals.

In house-wiring installations it is customary to build up a panel of branch blocks through which the main leads are carried, and to which are connected the branch leads for the various house-lighting circuits. Between the mains andeach of the branch leads are interposed fuses to protect the branch circuits against overload. It is frequently necessary to replace these fuses, but inasmuch as the latter ordinarily carry no tell-tale by which a layman can readily deterinine which of the fuses have been burnt out, and further inasmuch as the branch blocks contain no indication by which the layman can observe through which fuses any particular branch line is connected to the mains, it is generally necessary to locate the defective fuses by removing one fuse after another from the panel until the defective fuse is located. This is not only tedious, but involves a considerable risk, since the operation is usually performed by some one not familiar with electrical devices, and while the current is on the lines. The removal of a fuse under these conditions serves to break the circuit-an operation for which it is not properly designed.

y the present invention I provide a cutout block with a cover carrying indicating devices which identify the branch circuits connected to the block. hen a panel is completed, and the various branch circuits thus identified, any layman can at once locate the blown fuses in a given branch, and replace them without the delay and danger incident to the usual experimental investigation mentioned.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings, the cut-out block 6 of insulation is transversely channeled at T to receive the main leads, which may be either in the form of wires 8 or busbars 8. The bottoms of the channels are preferably flat to accommodate the bus-bars, when used. On opposite sides of the grooves 7 are pairs of fuse receptacles, the center contacts 9 being connected to the neutral of the three-wire system indicated, while the center contacts 10 are respectively connected to the positive and negative mains. At each end of the block the shell contacts of the fuse receptacles at that end are respectively connected to branch wire terminals 11 and 12. The legs of the two independent branch circuits 13 and 14 are connected respectively to the terminals 11 and 12 at opposite ends of the block.

Overlying the block and supported upon the barrier ribs 15 and the bosses 16 which house the shells 160 of the fuse receptacles, is a cover plate 17 substantially co-extensive with the base and secured thereto by screws 18 taking into tapped nuts 19 fastened in any suitable way in the barrier ribs 15. The inner face of the cover )late is lined'by a sheet of insulation 20. fioth the plate and its lining are apertured at 21 to admit the fuse plugs to the receptacles without removin the plate.

Fxtending between the openings 21 longitudinally of the cover are raised panels 22 and 23. These panels space the cover plate proper at these points from its insulating lining 20, and thus form open ended chambers in which may be accommodated legend carrier strips 24 of paper, celluloid or the like, upon which may be written or printed any suitable legend to identity the course of the branch circuit with which it is asso ciated. Each panel 22 and 23 is apertured at 25 to disclose the legend appearing upon its carrier strip 2%, and the apertures 25 are particularly shaped to indicate that end of the bloclr to which the branch circuit is connected which is identified by its associated legend strip 24. bus, in the present construction the apertures 25 are arrow shaped, and are located adjacent the ends of the panels 2223 toward which the arrows point. i 7

It will be obvious from the foregoing that upon the blowing of the fuses in the branch line controlling the upper front portion of the residence, for instance, the layman is at once directed by the arrow aperture 25 and the legend carr' to the up per leftehand portion or". the installation illustrated in Fig. 1, and is advised thereby without experimentation, that the fuses which he must replace are those at the lefthand end of the upper block.

The particular shape or" the indicator opening in the panel may be variously modified, as well as the location 01": the panels. So far as I am aware, it has not heretofore been proposed to provide a simple fused cut-out block or the present type with branch-line indicators which enable the layman to identify each of a series of branchlines connected to a builtup panel of the type shown. Inasmuch as a block of the present type is the one most commonly used in building up panels for domestic houselighting circuits, the practical value and added safety afforded by the present construction will be readily appreciated, particularly in view of the fact that renewals are ordinarily made by a member of the household without the assistance of a skilled electrician.

It is also desirable to afford means for accommodating meter leads 26 connected to the branch terminals and carried through the panel base to the point of attachment to the meter. For this purpose the sides of the block are vertically channeled at 27 in regis ter with the transverse channels 7. Upon juxtaposition of cooperating blocks to form a panel, these channels 27 form apertures piercing the panel base structure as a whole and affording a way for the meter leads 26, as indicated in Fig. 5. This construction has the advantage over piercing-the base of each block, since the mechanical strength of the structure is not weakened as it would be if it were pierced.

Certain of the branch terminals 28 for connection to the positive and negative mains are illustrated in Fig. 6. As here shown these terminals are formed of strap metal bent to shape and tapped at 29 to receive the center contact screws 9, by which the straps are secured in position. At their opposite ends the straps are provided with a plurality of tap holes 30 and 31. When wire mains are run through the channel '7 they are gripped at the terminals by clamping plates 32, pierced by screws 83, which take into the taps v31 located in bays 3% opening to the channel 7. When the bus-bars 8 are used as mains they are punched in register with the taps 30 in the terminal straps and secured by the same screws 38. In this case the clamping plates 32 are removed and discarded. The same construction is employed when the strap extends from one center contact to the other and is bowed intermediate its ends for connection with the neutral wire (see Fig. 6).

Various modifications in detail of construction will readily occur to those skilled in the art, which do not depart from what I claim as my invention.

I claim as my invention- 1. For use with a double-ended, fused branch block, a cover plate adapted to overlie the block, an insulating lining for said cover plate, said lining and cover plate being apertured in register with fuse receptacle contacts at opposite ends of the block to permit insertion and withdrawal of fuses without removal of the cover plate, raised panels formed in the cover plate and extending to the apertures in the cover plate for the reception of the fuses, said panels atfording channels between the cover plate and its lining, and opening to the fuse-receiving apertures in the cover to permit the insertion of legend carriers into the channels through said apertures, the panel being apertured to render visible the legend on said inserted legend carrier.

2. For use with a double-ended, fused branch block, a cover plate adapted to overlie the block, an insulating lining for said cover plate, said lining and cover plate being apertured in register with fuse receptacle contacts at opposite ends of the block to permit insertion and withdrawal oi. fuses without removal of the cover plate, raised panels formed in the cover plate and extending to the apertures in the cover plate for the reception of the fuses, said panels affording channels between the cover plate and its linlng, and opening to "the fuse-receiving apertures in the cover to permit the insertion of legend carriers into the channels through said apertures, the panel being apertured to render visible the legend on said insert ed legend carrier, said apertures being shaped to indicate the end of the block to which is connected the branch circuit identified by the legend carrier.

3. F or use with a double-ended, fused branchblock, a cover plate adapted to overlie the block, an insulating lining for said cover plate, said lining and cover plate being apertured in register with the fuse receptacle contacts at opposite ends of the block to permit insertion and withdrawal of fuses without removal of the cover plate, longitudinal parallel raised panels formed in the mid-area of the cover plate and extending to and between apertures at opposite ends of the plate for the reception of fuses, said panels affording channels between the cover plate and its lining, and each opening to fuse-receiving apertures at opposite ends ot the cover to permit the insertion of legend carriers into the channels through the fusereceiving apertures at each end of the plate, the panels being apertured to render visible the legends on the inserted legend carriers.

4. For use with a double ended, "fused branch block, a cover plate adapted to overlie the branch blorflz.v an insulating lining for said cover plate, said lining and cover plate being apertured in register with the fuse terminals at opposite ends of the block, raised panels formed in said cover and extending between the fuse plug openings at opposite ends of the cover, said panel affording a way between the cover plate and its lining for the reception of a legend indicator, said panel being apertured to render visible the legend on said carrier, said aperture being shaped as a pointer directed toward the end of the branch block to which is connected the branch circuit identified by the legend carrier.

5. In a cut -out block, an insulating base transversely channeled to receive either wire or bus-bar mains, branch terminals located in said grooves and comprising a terminal strap having spaced taps, together with a screw taking into either of said taps, and a clamping plate pierced in register with one of said taps for use with a wire main arranged in said transverse groove.

6. In a cutout block, an insulating base transversely channeled to receive either a wire or bus-bar main, and having a bay oil"- set therefrom, a terminal located in said channel and extending into said bay, said terminal strap being tapped at points located both in said bay and in said channel, a clamping screw engaging either of said taps,

and a detachable clamping plate pierced in register with the tap in said strap located in the bay, for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE B. THOMAS 

